Khayon Edwards and Bradley Ibrahim have joined Catalin Cirjan and Matt Smith in travelling with the first team for Thursday’s Europa League clash.

Khayon Edwards (R) back with the Arsenal u21s after injury (Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter)
Khayon Edwards (R) back with the Arsenal u21s after injury (Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter)

Making the trip to Norway on Wednesday, a few of Arsenal’s youth contingent joined the first-team flight.

After their appearances on the bench in the last two rounds of group-stage action, it’s no surprise to see Catalin Cirjan and Matt Smith back with the squad for the third Europa League game in a row.

But this time they’ve been joined by two more youth players – Khayon Edwards and Bradley Ibrahim.

All four were involved in first-team training on Wednesday ahead of the trip, and it seems they’re now set to make an appearance in the squad to take on FK Bodo/Glimt.

Arsenal already had two spots open for youth players due to first-team injuries, and the absence of Gabriel Jesus opened up another.

The fact that Arsenal have taken a fourth youth player could hint at another senior absence for the match. But Mikel Arteta may just have decided to take an extra man, as clubs often do for away days.

Matt Smith with Arsenal (Photo via TwoTouchAgency on Instagram)
Matt Smith with Arsenal (Photo via TwoTouchAgency on Instagram)

Ibrahim is a midfielder who also has experience in defence, but his technical attributes probably lend him more to that midfield role in senior football.

Edwards is a striker, a prolific goalscorer at u18 level who was expected to lead the line for the u21s every week this season.

Injuries held him back in the early part of the current campaign, but he recently returned to fitness and is now available for selection.

Smith and Cirjan are also both midfielders, with Cirjan favouring a more attacking role whilst Smith can probably play any of Arsenal’s current midfield roles.